I’ve got rugby league pumping trough my veins. That code has literally been my bread and butter since I was 20 years of age but as a kid, rugby union was my sport.
I played it at school and loved it, but league dragged me in all because of a phenomenal North Sydney winger – the unbeatable and irrepressible Ken Irvine.
My father (and then local priest) took me to Bear Park as a teenager and I saw this man in the black and red No.2 jumper. He was not a huge guy by any stretch, but jeez he could run.
Irvine scored three tries that day against Parramatta and I’ll admit I never had a genuine sporting hero before.
I had one forever in the space of 80 minutes.
Why Irvine was not inducted as one of the earliest Immortals is beyond all comprehension. In his position, there had never been a better flank-man and there may never be.
I digress. That experience for the young T Prentice was in the late 1960s. I still loved my rugby union when I finished school in the early ’70s, but the Wallabies didn’t have anyone remotely as exciting as Kenny Irvine and my bent went towards the rugby league code.
League became a huge part of my working life. I became a sports writer and still liked union but it quickly paled because of the job at hand.
Enough about ancient history. I have never stopped watching rugby union. I used to love the ABC telecast of the Saturday club game of the round in the Shute Shield. Club rugby union. It has a unique romance, a colour of its own.
It’s now found on something called Seven Two on digital – and yes, I am guilty of finding it when the chance arises.
I’ll freely admit that the Rugby World Cup has got me by the short and curlies. I have watched the Wallabies’ progress as closely as many who roar on this site.
I have also watched many more games that did not feature Australia. I feel the rugby union product is watch-able if not for the overall pace of play and those pedantic penalties whistled by some of the international referees.
Come on – a yellow card and a 10-minute sit-down for a ‘deliberate’ knock-on? Nup. That rule is a farce.
This writer does not like the constant re-setting of scrums and lineouts. In my view, that’s glorified nit-picking on many occasions. Please refs, let the guys play football.
As a league person, I do like the contest that is scrums.
The ‘lean-to’ crap we have in league is embarrassing. Hookers are nothing more than extra half-backs, props are back-rowers having a breather and ‘set pieces’ are pretty much designed to give the backs room to move.
I like the fact that in union one tackle does not necessarily stop the play. If a team is good enough to re-cycle cleanly and legally, the action can continue for six, seven, eight or even more phases.
This writer really likes watching the world’s premier goal-kickers excel consistently at their craft.
These days, almost all favour the around-the-corner kicking method that I first saw from the amazing John Gray, a North Sydney Bear (who introduced it to Australian rugby league in 1974 but had starred with it in northern hemisphere union before he began his career at Wigan RLFC).
Even though I have some beefs about the cheer-leading commentators on Aussie TV, I’ll be up and cheering hard for the Wallabies in the World Cup final.
Naturally, I’ll have a keen eye trained in the direction of ex-Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Bronco superstar, Israel Folau.
Granted, Izzy has had a wretched tournament so far for a variety of reasons but if his ankle is okay, look out!
In my sports-writing career, I have seen no better player in really big matches than this extraordinarily gifted athlete. He has been bagging tries in ‘biggies’ since his teenage years and if his ankle is up to the task, the All Blacks had better be on their best defensive behaviour.
There are other Wallabies I really like watching.
Winger Drew Mitchell is a genuine star who can turn a half break into a try. The work-rate and effectiveness of Michael Hooper and David Pocock are truly amazing to watch over 80 minutes. And we league types had the temerity to think that rugby convert Ray Price was ‘Mr Perpetual Motion’!
I get a big thrill watching Kurtley Beale enter the fray and try to make a difference. He certainly can – and often does.
One must admire Adam Ashley-Cooper’s ability to plant the ball over the line, but I feel there have been way too many occasions when he has hogged the ball and blithely ignored his supports. I’ll freely admit I frown every time he gets the ball.
It must be said, in a column such as this, that I am in awe of the mighty All Blacks – the way they play their rugby, the fact that games are not over until the 80th minute, or when the ref says so.
I am excited in the countdown to the World Cup final kick-off. Not a whole lot between New Zealand and Australia, and this could well turn out to be one of the greatest union deciders of all time.
Sadly, there is nobody running out there with my so-called, ‘Kenny Irvine charisma’.
But there are enough players who can bring me to my feet ensuring this is a fierce and ultimately fantastic football contest not to be missed.
grapeseed
Guest
Rugby League has literally been your bread and butter since you were 20?
concerned supporter
Guest
Tim, Glad you liked the film clip.Remember when Ken Irvine equaled the world 100yard record of 9.3 s at the Sports Ground. Cleary though won the match race. Good to see League people like James Hooper,Tommy Rad. enjoying & praising Rugby. Most of the games & the crowds have been fantastic.Lets hope that the ARU Board can capitalize on this popularity, though I have my doubts.There was zero publicity for the NRC, except for the Roar and Foxsports on thursday night.
Ryan Meyer
Guest
I like both league and union but I can't stomach soccer. Simple, boring, no contact, no thanks.
fiddlesticks
Guest
well short of 100 s of millions. they have gone now
Daffyd
Roar Rookie
I'm confused and saddened. We have a leaguie who come to the table saying he loves what the wallabies are doing -- but there's no current player that matches up to his childhood hero, Ken Irvine. And that's his opinion and in all honesty, he's probably right. (Although a few years back there was this bloke named Jonah. Of course he didn't play for us, he played for them, but he was a devastating player and pretty much every team in the worl would have dropped a player to make room for him in their XV.... but I digress...) Many of the posters on this site instead want to make an argument about which code is better. The fact is: Australia is playing the best team in the world in the Rugby World Cup Final. New Zealand. NZ are RWC defending champions. They are a Champion team made up of Champion players. NZ is going for back to back win. Hardly beaten in 4 years. It is an unbelievable achievement for Australia to even be in the Final when you consider where they were just 12 months ago. Can I ask people before they post... When Australia was sailing against the United States in the Americas Cup in 1983 would you post that 12 Metre racing was not as good as C class catamarans? If Australia was playing in any Cup Netball final, would you want to argue that Basketball is better? If the Australian Hockey team was playing in a Olympic Final, would you say, "But it's not ice hockey?" Please please please, in these few hours before the Men in Gold run out at Twickers to play for us (and themselves) , I'd ask all Aussies to please come together as one. It's not rah rahs. Its not reds or tah's or brumbies, or the force or the rebels for that matter. It's Oz against the best in the world. Possibly the best ever. And we've earned the chance to go head to head for 80 minutes. The turn around in this Australian team has been nothing short of miraculous. They have earned and deserve our support. It's Us against Them. Aussies, come together. Beneath our radiant Southern Cross We'll toil with hearts and hands; To make this Commonwealth of ours Renowned of all the lands; For those who've come across the seas We've boundless plains to share; With courage let us all combine To Advance Australia Fair. In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia Fair. Good Luck Australia. Go You Good Things!
Stephen Sim
Guest
Hi Tim, That was an outstanding article and I hope you are keeping well. With regards, Steve
snowman
Guest
25 million Japanese watched one game
Chinmay Hejmadi
Roar Guru
Great to see people enjoying both codes - there's far too much partisan antagonism between supporters of league and union. Both codes have their plus points and negative points too. I for one, enjoy Union slightly more than League, but I still follow the NRL from week 1 till the Grand Final. In fact, while I'm almost entirely neutral when it comes to Union, my favourite rugby football team is actually from league. Go the Roosters!
The eye
Guest
Not anywhere near bagging the game mate..I'm asking a question..can you answer it..because bloggers during the game couldn't..
Chris
Guest
It's a shame in the past that the best national Rugby team of New Zealand never got the chance to play there neighbours across the Tasman who were the Kangeroos.
Chris
Guest
Did Randwick with the Ella's in there team bring the crowds in the 1980's.
nerval
Guest
I've just seen that clip. Langlands, Raper, Gasnier... just beautiful to watch.
Birdy
Guest
Breakdown Tim said 1 beer not 10.
Phil
Guest
This is a great game; contested scrums, striking in the play the ball (and dropping shoulders into the marker to stop them striking). Two things sadly gone from league. Free running football, what's not to love :)
Birdy
Guest
Concerned supporter, I watched the clip, great memories. England dominated RL until that series so Australia was well and truly up against it . I think I would still back that team today against all comers.
Council
Guest
And Savea, Cullen, Hewitt and the beast Lomu with a **quick** skim off my head. Oh abd Habana and Kriel and D'Allende and Izzy and Beale and Naholo and Nadolo.
Council
Guest
I'd suggest watching more Rugby before trying to comment on players "falling over". Otherwise this just looks like a Leaguie having a dig at Rugby.
Birdy
Guest
Good read Tim I suppose I'm the same as most other posters here today in that I played union at school but league for my club as a kid . League was a suburban religion , it was all about your district and your mates . the thrill of playing league , for me will last forever. But the same as others here today I still watch a bit of rugby. I do admit that some things frustrate me but overall a good game as a sporting spectacle is hard to beat. My RWC boast is that I truly believe that there was 1 person in the world that knew the Wallabies would be in the final. Cheika, I think he knew when he signed on as coach even knowing that no Wallaby , at the time would have shared his belief. He treated the bonus point with the contempt it deserved , went for the win and rested his men. He has slowly groomed them back into a team, not just in the last few weeks , but over the last year, he will have them peaking , like a prize fighter in the final. So my prediction is those men from the wrong side of the Tasman are going to find quite a bit of white chalk on their pretty tuxedos from being pushed and shoved across the sideline. Wallabies by 10.
Phil
Guest
I am a fan of both codes and love the way the Wallabies are playing. Slightly offtopic, but what did you make of the hybrid game between wests & randwick? I would love to see a Kangaroos vs All Blacks hybrid test one day, although it seems unlikely. Maybe an Australian Indigenous side will play the NZ Maori All Blacks? A couple of changes I'd make to the hybrid code rules though would be to have a 5 metre offside on both sides (rather than the 10 metres league half and behind the line on the union half as it is now), to allow lifting in lineouts and to have contested scrums fed into the middle of the scrum all round the ground not just in the union half. It was too much of a sure thing in the wests game that the team would get out of their own half under league rules with the 10 metre rule in 60 seconds, often with 7 or 8 tackles which doesn't really reflect league, whereas the union half was a lot more contested and players were under a lot more pressure.
Tim Prentice
Expert
My pleasure Sam S. I got a lot of fun and enjoyment from K Irvine and of course the mighty Bears. There is a slight chance they will come back. I frequently back slight chances . . . .